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Keithia
Keithia, often referred to as The Heroine or Mother of Heroes, is one of the major deities of Sprin’torel. Renown for her compassion, courage, leadership, and humility, she is looked to as a role model and protector for those dreaming of making the world a better place. As heroes can come from all walks of life, she is frequently worshiped alongside other gods, though she is most commonly linked with Isao as the road to redemption and the road to heroism are often one and the same. As heroes are often motivated by the people and places they care for, Keithia is also frequently considered to be a patron of love and family and looked to for guidance and support in these matters. She is considered a very maternal figure and is sometimes depicted with a child, generally believed to be her and Isao’s. Who this child is, however, is unknown, and some theologians believe that the child is representative of the heroes she looks over. Worshipers Keithia’s worshipers tend to be greatly varied, coming to her from all sorts of backgrounds. Temples to her will often be built in the hometowns of those considered to be heroes while smaller shrines may be erected alongside churches that claim her affiliation or influence. Her grandest temple and the center of her church is located in the country of Arduak, at the School of Seven Stars, where she is considered a patron of all those who train at the institution for lives of heroism to the point where it is almost a ritual to touch the foot of her statue on graduation day for her favour. Clerics Keithia’s clerics tend to most often be the adventuring sort. They are frequently found in groups of traveling adventurers, always eager to help people in whatever way they can wherever they go. Often the friendly and levelheaded sort along with their association with heroism, they tend to find themselves welcome almost anywhere. They are often both skillful healers and brave fighters and many people look to them for protection, aid, and guidance in times of trouble. Orders ; The Rescue Squad : Contrasted to members of The Rescue Squad who worship Frank, Keithia's worshipers in this order tend to stay towards the back, providing healing to whoever needs it. Unlike Frank's worshipers, however, these healers do work even outside of the battlefield. Focusing their energies on easing the pain and suffering of others, whether that be through treating the sick, healing the wounded, aiding in childbirth, or providing comfort in one’s final moments, these members of The Rescue Squad are dedicated to their craft and many see them as invaluable members of society. Though they will never deny or ignore advances in medical science, as to do so may mean the quality in the care they offer people would suffer, they tend to favor traditional, natural forms of healing. ; Seven Stars Alumni : The School of Seven Stars in the country of Arduak is an institution dedicated to training heroes. This order is made exclusively of those who have graduated from the school and go out to do good in the world in Keithia’s name. They are recognized for their bravery and skills and the credentials that the School of Seven Stars gives them grants them a sense of legitimacy that your average adventurers might not have. Whether acting as travelling adventurers or settling down in a specific area, these heroes are a dedicated bunch who seek to protect people from all sorts of threats, whether those be monsters or criminals or anything else, expecting little to nothing in return. ; Heroes for Hire : A splinter group from the School of Seven Stars Aumni, the Heroes for Hire are also former students from the school of seven stars that prefer mercenary work to selfless acts of heroism. Establishing offices in various major cities throughout the world, these heroes offer their services for a fee to those that can afford to pay it. Due to the nature of their business, members of this order do not garner the same respect as their peers from the School of the Seven Stars and there are some that would criticize them for actually going against the doctrine of the goddess they proclaim to follow due to their monetary motivations, yet few can deny that they are still very good at what they do. Rites Given Keithia’s position as the Goddess of Heroism, the most common rites within her church are the performance of heroic deeds. Anything that services the world or the people around you for the better, no matter how big or small, is said to gain her favor. It is also common to pray to her for guidance and protection in times of trouble, whether it be physical danger or personal struggle. Below is one such prayer: “Gentle Heroine, we pray for your protection and your guidance as we face what lies ahead. Grant us the wisdom to know the best path to take, the courage to see it through, and may our actions here today leave the world a little better for them tomorrow.”